Air purifier makers breathe easy in pollution

Air purifiers makers like Blueair, Eureka Forbes, Panasonic India and Sharp are betting big on the season.

The sales of air purifiers at Eureka Forbes have seen an increase of almost 80 per cent in last one month itself.

With air quality deteriorating to alarming levels post Diwali, air purifier makers are looking to cash in on the opportunity and expecting a significant rise in sales this season.

Air purifiers makers like Blueair, Eureka Forbes, Panasonic India and Sharp are betting big on the season.

"With the air quality deteriorating and air pollution being a constant talking point, last 2-3 days the demand and Blueair sales per day has almost gone up 50 times to last week," a Blueair spokesperson told PTI.

He further said that November expectations are three times of last month and there is a 100 per cent growth over the last year. The air quality in Delhi-NCR has been at the season's worst for the last couple of days as a combined effect of smoke from stubble burning and moisture turned the region into a "gas chamber" leaving people gasping.

Panasonic India Business Head Purifiers and SHA Syed Moonis Alvi said pollution levels have reached alarming levels and air purifiers are witnessing a remarkable increase in sales and the company is targeting around Rs 12-15 crore sales during this period.

"As North India contributes almost 80 per cent to the industry sales, the market will continue to be dominated by metros, with Delhi?NCR being the main action place," he added.

Eureka Forbes MD and CEO Marzin R Shroff said: "Across the country, the demand of air purifiers has been on a significant rise showing month-on-month growth, owing to the degrading air quality in India."

The sales of air purifiers at Eureka Forbes have seen an increase of almost 80 per cent in last one month itself, he added.

Respirators maker 3M India is also looking at increase in sales due to rising pollution levels that breached the permissible standards by multiple times.

"Due to the deteriorating air quality across the country and especially in Delhi and surrounding areas, we are seeing a trend of increased usage amongst people from all walks of life," 3M India Senior General Manager, Personal Safety Division Nandakumar said.

Delhi woke up to severe air quality today under a blanket of thick haze, as pollution levels breached the permissible standards and the real-time pollution monitors displayed alarmingly high concentration of PM 2.5 and PM 10.

The rapid fall in air quality and visibility began last evening itself as moisture combined with pollutants shrouded the city in a thick cover of haze.

Sharp Business Systems President-Consumer Electronics Division Kishalay Ray said it is human nature to keep the necessary action pending till the last moment and the current pollution has been the trigger for consumers to buy air purifiers.

"Last year during first week of November, we sold 7,000 air purifiers. Current year season has just started and we are seeing very very strong growth," he added.